Ray McGovern, a retired CIA officer turned political activist, discusses Robert Parry's assertion that Putin and Obama are working behind the scenes to deescalate the Ukraine crisis; the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity's (VIPS) call for an Obama-Putin summit; and the Israeli/US policy of perpetuating the fighting in Syria, civilian death toll be damned.

Scott McConnell, a founding editor of The American Conservative, discusses John Kerry's diplomatic failure in the collapsed Israeli-Palestinian peace process; why this time it's unambiguously Israel's fault; and how Europe and the global BDS movement can keep pressure on Israel as American influence wanes.

Justin and Jessica Pavoni, both Air Force pilots and conscientious objectors, discuss their intellectual awakening that motivated them to apply for CO status; their desire to protect the country after 9/11; and their service experiences and disillusionment with the War in Afghanistan.

Dahr Jamail, a Truthout staff report and author of The Will to Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, discusses "The Iraq Commission" conference for holding government officials accountable for war crimes in Iraq; the class action lawsuit against Bush, Cheney, Powell, Rice, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz; and the legacy of violence and authoritarianism (despite elections) in Iraq today.

Daniel McAdams, Executive Director of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, discusses the US media's silence on the mass murder of anti-Kiev demonstrators in Odessa, Ukraine; Lockheed's eager anticipation of profits from yet another military conflict; and why Iraq and Libya get regime-changed for "killing their own people" but it's OK when the US-friendly Ukrainian government does it.

Blogger Marcy Wheeler discusses the NSA "reform" bills making the rounds through Congress; how the once-promising USA Freedom Act was ruined; renewing the PATRIOT Act through 2017; the FBI's unfettered surveillance of Americans; and the NGOs embracing the lesser-evilism of crappy reform legislation (hey, it's better than nothing...).

Retired Air Force pilot Michael Bell discusses Wisconsin's first-in-the-nation law requiring independent investigations of police killings; the police shooting that took his son's life in 2004; the longstanding practice of cops being allowed to investigate and exonerate themselves; and how his activism got police unions, politicians and the public on board to get the law passed.

Jeff Stein, a Newsweek contributing editor in Washington, discusses why Israel won't stop spying on the U.S. and why Congress can't clear all the obstacles to a visa waiver program for Israelis.